Police said they received a call Friday for a 57-year-old man in an “altered mental status” who was assaulting a boy in the 1900 block of Middle Street. According to police, the man, identified as Ricky Lee Hura, went across the street to where the boy was playing and pinned him against a telephone pole.

A mailman who was in the area saw what was going on and intervened, police said.

Hura, who told officers that he had been huffing paint thinner, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian. He has been charged with unlawful restraint of a minor, simple assault, illegal use of certain solvents and noxious substances.

Police said the man and the boy are neighbors and have not had any prior issues.

RECKLESSLY ENDANGERING A CHILD AND OTHER CHARGES RELATED TO THAT CRASH. KELLY BRENNAN "ACTION NEWS" 4. A POSTAL WORKER JUMPS INTO ACTION WHEN HE SEES A MAN ATTACKING A 7-YEAR-OLD BOY. RICKY WAS HUMPING PAINT THINNER BEFORE HE ATTACKED THE CHILD PLAYING ON MIDDLE STREET HERE. WITNESSES SAY HE GRABBED THE CHILD WITH TWO HANDS BUT THE BOY WRIGGLED FREE AND WHEN THE POSTAL WORKER INTERVENED. I WOULD CLEARLY CALL HIM A HERO FOR THAT 7-YEAR-OLD. HE WAS DOING WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT THING AND HOW THE COMMUNITY TOOK CARE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCE. SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE HELPED AND HE WAS ABLE TO GET IN THE HOUSE UNHARMED AND THEN THE MAN